The State of Boracay

Yes, I know that some Boracay locals might be upset with me for posting my 2024 Boracay Tourism Performance and Insights. But when Google shared and alerted me the full tourism data, I felt it was important to pass this information along, especially since the Malay Tourism Office hasn’t yet published the Dec. 16-31, 2024 numbers. These numbers matter—especially for businesses that are struggling to survive.

From luxury resorts, chains of hotels to small guesthouses, mostly are cutting back on staff, putting employees on forced leave, and even laying people off and terminating entirely as tourist numbers keep dropping. We’re all feeling the impact of 2024, and we’re hanging on, hoping for some kind of help or reassurance from the local government, but we’re not getting it. We’re still paying the same fees—garbage fees, for example—while businesses and workers feel the strain.\

I know that when I post things like this, I’ll get backlash. It’s almost automatic. Some will misinterpret it as an attack on the government or accuse me of spreading negativity or ruining Boracay’s image. But that’s not what this is about. What I want to point out is that there’s a real difference between sitting in a government office with a steady paycheck and being on the ground, watching businesses close and workers being laid off. Many of them are worried about layoffs, unpaid leaves, losing their jobs and minds and whether they can still provide for their families. Meanwhile, the government employees continue to be paid, rain or shine, without worrying about the struggles that the people they serve are facing. I know, most Boracaynons are not really caring a lot about the workers here, but I hope we all get human enough to acknowledge their contribution to Boracay’s success and acknowledge their struggle now.

This isn’t about pointing fingers or demanding perfection. It’s about being real. If we want Boracay—and the entire province of Aklan—to recover, we need to be able to accept criticism, take action on it, and demand better from our leaders. Ignoring the problem won’t help anyone.

I told myself I’d be done after posting the data series, but here’s an extra round. I hope this sparks something—because we can’t keep ignoring the truth if we want to see any real change.